Many different and popular storage systems are known for storing and displaying compact discs, digital video discs, video tapes and/or other packaged or encased multimedia. Examples thereof are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,195,642 (Dardashti), 5,553,720 (Dardashti), 5,560,499 (Dardashti), 5,595,312 (Dardashti), 5,875,895 (Dardashti), and 5,908,121 (Dardashti). (The entire contents of each of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference.) However, there is a need for a system that can store and display large numbers of multimedia, upright in an attractive book fashion, with the titled spines thereof one against the other, easily readable by the user. This system should have the flexibility to store and display varying numbers of multimedia in changeable attractive arrangements to accommodate the user""s varying needs and desires.
Accordingly, disclosed herein is a multimedia storage rack having at least one shelf and preferably a plurality of shelves, held in a bookcase fashion by corner posts, spaced one above the other. At least one of the shelves has a support surface which includes a pair of longitudinal wires. At least one wire divider assembly or unit of the present invention is provided to attach in an upright orientation to the longitudinal wires at the position desired by the user.
The wire divider assembly has first and second legs, a first coupler at an end of the first leg and a second coupler at an end of the second leg. The couplers both face outwardly such that when the legs are manually squeezed towards one another, the couplers move towards one another. The couplers can then be positioned between the wires. And when the legs are released the couplers each engage a respective wire. The wire divider assembly is thereby releasably held at the desired position along the wires and on the support shelf and in a substantially vertical position on the shelf. The wire divider assembly defines a bookend-type stop for the upright multimedia (or other substantially flat articles) on the support surface.
If the user desires to remove or reposition the wire divider assembly on the support shelf, he simply squeezes the legs to disengage the couplers from their wires, lifts the assembly up and away from the wires and moves the assembly to a different location along the wires, on wires of a different shelf or to a storage location and releases the legs. Alternatively, if he only wants to reposition the assembly on the wires of that shelf, he need not lift the assembly up from the wires after squeezing the legs but can simply squeeze the legs to release the lock of the couplers on the wires and slide the assembly along the wires to another location on the. shelf and then release the legs so that the couplers engage the wires at the new desired location.
The wire divider assembly can take any of a number of configurations or constructions. One construction includes the assembly having an M shape with the legs defining opposite legs of the M and the couplers defining feet at the ends of the legs. And the couplers each are preferably formed as cylinders with respective outwardly-disposed longitudinal slots for engaging the wires. The cylinders are perpendicular to the legs and may be welded to their ends or otherwise permanently attached. The couplers and M shape structure are formed from steel wire, and the M shape, which includes both of the legs, is preferably formed from a single wire strand.